Destiny Unknown
by ericastwilight
Summary: Edward and his sister's best friend Bella hit it off, but what has him leaving so soon? Desperate to save his family, Edward must find Bella, and together they make their way through countless obstacles that want nothing more than a bite to eat. Armed with weapons, an annoyingly sarcastic but helpful talking box, and the knowledge to save the world, will they succeed? For Mo.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Bella meets her best friend's older brother under unusual circumstances. Workaholic Edward Cullen missed Christmas with his family, deciding to head home days after. A misunderstanding with his baby sister's roommate has a potential for something more, but what has him leaving so soon?

* * *

Bella walked through the lavish home, checking windows and doors to ensure her and Alice's security was tight. She house-sat on occasion, but she had never stayed in such a grand place until Alice brought her home for Thanksgiving. It was easy to get lost in the extensive gardens; it had a labyrinth within it! The house itself was over three thousand square feet, but it was wonderfully warm and inviting.

She loved it and the family that lived in it; though, she hadn't met Alice's older brother yet. From what she'd learned, he was a bit of a workaholic.

"You're being paranoid," Alice said from the couch in one of the living rooms. She rolled her eyes, throwing a couple pieces of candy at Bella.

Bella laughed, managing to catch a few. "Sorry, not sorry. Cop's daughter, so I can't help it when it comes to our safety. Didn't you just say the house was broken into three times last year?"

Alice's parents wanted someone to stay with their daughter while they headed out of town for a company New Year's event in New York. Bella had no other family, so they were quick to ask her to join them for the holidays.

Bella couldn't say no to Esme; it was impossible.

Alice huffed, sending a wayward black curl flopping into her eyes. She batted it away and frowned. "But they installed a top of the line security system."

"Someone tried again though, right?"

Alice stuck out her tongue.

Bella settled onto the couch beside her best friend. "What are you nine? Come on, I'm looking out for you."

Alice gave her a megawatt smile and snuggled up to her side.

Bella always thought of herself as somewhat petite, with a few curves, but Alice was tiny, much like her mother. "What time is Jasper picking you up?"

"Around seven—you sure you don't want to join us?"

Bella scoffed, lifting her long, dark hair into a ponytail. "I have access to an endless movie selection, a seventy-inch flat screen TV, surround sound system, and popcorn. This is my kind of night."

"You're like going from twenty-two to forty real quick, Swan. How are we best friends?"

Alice wasn't the first person to ask such a question. Bella enjoyed a good party now and then, but she also liked to sit back and read or watch some kickass television. Alice, on the other hand, would party every day if it were reasonably possible.

"Go get ready or you'll be bitching because you're running late." Bella playfully shoved Alice off the plush sectional onto the soft rug, earning a bird flip.

"Fine, but only because I need time to shave _everywhere_ ," Alice said, waggling her brows.

Bella groaned, throwing a pillow at her retreating figure. She searched for a movie, but Alice returned to make her life hell, as usual.

"My brother just called. He said he was on his way to come see me, but the asshole didn't let me respond before he hung up."

Bella watched as Alice tried calling her brother again, leaving a message when he didn't answer. It was a rather colorful one, too. Having missed the holidays with their family, her brother wasn't exactly on good terms with her.

"If he gets here while I'm in the shower, remember his name is Edward, and tell him I'm heading out for the night." Her lips turned up, looking mischievous. "In fact, tell him it's overnight. That will get him going."

"You want me to meet your older brother for the first time while you're in the shower?"

Alice rolled her unusual gray-green eyes, huffing.

Bella ignored that and continued. "You also want me to tell him he's basically shit out of luck to see you before you head back to school again? Doesn't he live in Seattle?"

"Yes, but he was supposed to be here for Christmas when we got here. It's not my fault he got too busy at work to spend Christmas with us. Besides, you know Jasper is heading back early to California. I won't see him for at least two weeks."

Jasper and Alice met in high school and ended up going to college at CalPoly together. They met Bella in their sophomore year when she found a great apartment and needed two roommates.

"Fine, I'll tell your asshole brother that his asshole sister can't see him until she comes back for the summer, six months from now."

"I knew you'd see it my way," Alice giggled, running up the stairs to her room.

Bella grumbled as walked into the kitchen and made some popcorn, determined to watch some good holiday movies. Every year, since she was a child, she and her father would curl up on the couch together to watch the most action-packed holiday movies they could find. _Die Hard_ , _Gremlins_ , _Die Hard 2_ , to name a few. Just because he was gone, she couldn't stop the tradition.

She settled into watch _Die Hard_ , and she'd almost made it through the entire film before Alice presented herself in all her holiday glory for the New Year's party with Jasper's family. Bella whistled, as any good friend would, circling a finger so Alice would do the same. The emerald green dress clung to Alice's small frame perfectly, showing off gorgeous legs and accentuating her shoulders. Her dark hair was up in some fancy style, enhancing her pretty, oval face.

"You look fantastic."

"Yes, she does," Jasper said from the corner of the room where he waited. Alice squealed, running into his arms and laughing when he lifted her up. "You look beautiful. You ready?"

"Yes."

Alice and Jasper said their goodbyes and an early "Happy New Year" before leaving, giving Bella a chance to lock up for the night. She wouldn't see Alice until the following afternoon, which was all right with her. She would finish her holiday movies and the last chapters of the book she was reading.

"That's not a bad thing," she told herself, turning off all the lights for her movie marathon. She left the Christmas lights on outside, along with the Christmas tree, settling in with John McClane and a few motherfuckers.

As she put another holiday movie hours later, Bella swore she heard something outside while she took a brief intermission. She stood by one of the hallway windows upstairs, remaining still to make sure it was nothing. Startled by the sound of someone cursing, she bit her lip and wondered if Alice's brother never got her message and came down anyway.

She quickly dialed Alice, but it went straight to voice mail. "Damn it." She headed downstairs, tiptoeing toward the kitchen to see if the alarm was still armed, just in case it wasn't Alice's brother. Her eyes widened when the display indicated someone had entered the garage.

Alice's brother decided to come home. Well, she hoped it was him.

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.

.

Edward Cullen detested the holidays, or at least the non-family aspect of it. His colleagues at the lab were boring as hell, but under stress and deadlines, they were grade-A assholes. When surrounded by assholes, sometimes a somewhat nice person could become one, too.

The laboratory he worked for was pulling out all the stops for some grant money, enough to fund his research for another five years, if not more. That led to cutting most of their holiday vacations from weeks to mere days.

He hated that he missed Christmas with his family, one of the few holidays he always made time for, until now. If it weren't for the merger with Toshiro Pharmaceuticals earlier that year, he would have spent time with his baby sister.

He pulled into the garage, thankful his mother had sent him the codes to their new security system. Grabbing his bag, he saw his phone had died sometime after calling Alice as he drove in from the city. He cursed, searching his glove compartment for his charger. He headed into the house, entering another code into the panel by the door.

The sound of shuffling feet alerted him he wasn't alone. He smiled, thinking of scaring Alice just as he used to when they were younger. She had to be mad at him for not making it down for the holidays, but she always had a soft spot for him. Being twelve years older, they had little in common growing up, but he had always adored her.

He dropped his bags and ran into the kitchen, grabbing his sister by the waist, making her scream, as he tossed her over his shoulder. "Are you putting on a little weight, sis?" He laughed as his sister huffed in indignation.

He tossed Alice onto the sectional he bought for his parents the previous year, only to find dark eyes staring back at him. _What the fuck?_

"You better be Edward Cullen or your balls are about to get acquainted with my knee."

He stepped back, holding up his hands after a quick check to make sure she didn't kick him anyway.

The young woman cocked a slim eyebrow, jumping back up and spreading her feet shoulder-width apart in a fighting stance. Despite the situation, he couldn't help but look at her. Dressed in an oversized sweater that hung off one shoulder and leggings, she was small but with gorgeous curves.

Edward grimaced when he remembered about the weight comment he said when he thought he had Alice on his shoulder.

"Hey, buddy. Mind telling me why you're looking at my boobs with so much disgust?" The girl sounded offended, not that Edward blamed her for it.

"Fuck." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling warmth rising along his neck, cheeks, and ears. "Trust me, I'm not disgusted about your…" He held up his hands, sort of cupping, only to realize it was not a good thing to do. "Your breasts, shit. I mean…I realized how scared you probably were when I grabbed you like that and the weight thing I said. God, I'm horrified."

"Oh. Good. I don't need to put on a bra then."

Edward couldn't help looking at her chest again, realizing her words meant she was wearing nothing under the sweater.

"Hi, I'm Bella." She thrust out her hand, smiling up at him. At six-four, he towered over her by damn handy a foot. She barely reached his shoulder, but something told him she was a lot stronger than she looked. He took hold of her hand, finding himself smiling for the first time in weeks.

"Edward Cullen. Any chance we can forget the last five minutes or mention it to my family?"

"Not in your life." She offered him another smile, playfully punching his arm. "I won't tell them, if you don't."

"Thanks. By the way, where is my sister?" He looked toward the couch and found a single serving of popcorn and a drink for one person.

"Alice had Jasper's family New Year's party."

He groaned and sat down, waiting for Bella to do the same. She did, taking the seat right next to him.

"New Year's Eve; I can't believe I forgot."

"How do you forget a holiday like that?" Bella asked, passing him the unopened bottle of beer that was on the coffee table. "You look like you could use one." He smiled and took her peace offering, and had a couple sips before answering.

"Work, as usual, I swear I live and breathe it. Between the lab and home, all the days have been blending together. It's a good day when I remember the day of the week."

"It's Saturday," Bella said in a sugary sweet voice, laughing at his snort. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Alice mentioned you had a recent breakthrough back in April. Your family knows how important your work is, and they are very proud of you."

Uncomfortable with the praise, Edward nodded but said nothing about it. "What are you watching?"

"I just finished the second _Die Hard_ and planned to start _Gremlins_."

" _Gremlins_? Were you even born when that movie first came out?"

"No, I wasn't." She somewhat shrugged, her smile turning a little sadder, but not quite a frown. "My dad raised me after my mom died when I was six, and growing up, our favorite Christmas movies were the action-packed ones."

"That's a lot of violence for a kid," he said, regretting it instantly. He remembered Alice saying her roommate lost both her parents. "But hey, they're my favorite kind of holiday movies, too."

"You're welcome to join me and my movie marathon, and then we can ring in the New Year together." She blushed, her eyes widening. "I mean, um, you know, unless you're tired from the drive."

He had been exhausted after the long ride, but not so much anymore. "Let me get my stuff up to my room and change, and I'll join you."

She smiled at him, bouncing up from the couch, telling him she would make him some popcorn.

Edward grabbed his things and headed to his room, wondering how his sister would feel about his movie night with Bella.

.

.

.

Hours later, Edward's arm was uncomfortably numb as Bella's head rested on his shoulder. He shouldn't dare move, but his phone was vibrating on the end table. Leaning across the front of Bella's body, he grabbed it. Alice had sent him a text.

 _Happy New Year, Edward. And you're welcome. I knew you'd like her._

Edward chuckled, wondering how his sister knew such things, but he learned a long time ago never to question her. Alice seemed okay with him spending time with Bella. Now, all he had to do was ask Bella out for dinner. Easy, or it would be if he were still in college—or even a couple years back when he had free time and didn't spend his days and nights working.

She lived in California; he lived in Washington.

She was twelve years younger than him.

He owned a microscope older than her.

She was beautiful, sweet, funny, and loved action movies, and she could talk his ear off about sports and politics. How the hell was he supposed to avoid her for the next few days? Then again, why should he?

A soft moan spilled from between Bella's parted lips, her arms reaching high above her head, her sweater riding up and unveiling a sliver of smooth lightly tanned skin as she stretched. He heard her throat clear and realized she'd caught him ogling her like some creeper.

"Are you going to kiss me now, or you going to keep me in suspense?"

He should've been shocked that she read him so easily, but he wasn't. They connected and hit it off easily for the last several hours.

Edward's hand slipped behind her head, brushing his thumb across her bottom lip. Her breath caught at his touch, but only for a moment. Her lips curved into a pretty smile, her eyes lighting up as he leaned forward. Their lips were a mere inch apart, and he could almost taste her. The scent in her hair teased his senses. The feather-light touch of her long lashes against his skin had the capability to drive him insane with desire.

"A little suspense never hurt anyone." Edward grinned.

She laughed when he sat back, covering his lap with a pillow for obvious reasons.

Thirty-four years old and his libido acted as if _he_ were twenty-two.

"You Cullens are good for my heart, I think." Bella glanced up at him.

He gave her a sad smile. "Alice mentioned you lost your mother to cancer."

"Ovarian cancer," she whispered. "I don't remember much. I was only five when she was diagnosed."

"And you lost your father not too long ago."

"Car accident, two years ago," she replied, wrapping her arms around herself to warm up.

He slid his arm over shoulder, and she immediately curled into his side. Loving the warmth of her, he didn't question her further. "Shall we call it a night?" he wondered out loud.

The hand she had resting on his chest, tightened for a moment. "Do we have to?"

"No." He kissed the top of her head, pulling a blanket over their bodies and shifting until they were comfortable. They fell asleep in each other's arms, both wondering if it would be the first night of many.

.

.

.

"You should've seen the look on Edward's face when I walked in on you two this morning," Alice said, giggling, as Bella dressed for the day.

Bella hated that she woke alone, but she understood Edward would've been a little embarrassed by his little sister discovering him like that. Still, he could've stuck around.

"Well, you were home earlier than you'd said. Was he horrified? What did he say?" Bella asked, rummaging through her bag. She had a pair of jeans that made her ass look amazing, not that she was trying to impress anyone.

"He looked like he got caught with his hand in a cookie jar…of course his hand was awfully close to your coo—"

Bella covered Alice's mouth with her hand, glaring at her friend. "Don't you dare finish that sentence. He was very respectable last night."

"His hand was on your ass, Bella."

"Really?" Bella asked.

Alice nodded, and Bella couldn't help but smile.

"Well, that's a good sign, I guess. He wouldn't kiss me, but I know he wanted to."

"My brother wanted to kiss you? The boring, lab-coat-wearing, hasn't had a date in two years man downstairs wanted to kiss you, but didn't." Alice fell back on her bed, laughing. "Sounds like him. He's so busy working that I wouldn't be surprised he forgot how to kiss. Maybe that's why he all but ran to take a shower."

"Will you stop giving him a hard time? He said he was sorry." She woke to find Alice and Edward in the kitchen arguing about him not coming home for Christmas. "Besides, he bought you two plane tickets to anywhere in the world as a gift for you and Jasper."

"That was rather sweet."

Bella stared at her friend, not glaring, but just waiting.

Alice huffed but smiled in the end. "Fine, I'll stop giving him a hard time. You need to stop using those magic eyes on me."

Bella snorted, shaking her head. Alice always gave Bella shit for her weird eyes. They often changed colors from a dark brown to almost purple hue, but it was the strange patterns in them that always made people look away first. It was a rare, genetic mutation, according to her eye doctor, but as long as her vision was okay, it didn't bother her.

"Fuck!"

Bella and Alice each looked toward the hallway in the direction of Edward's room.

"I don't think I want to know what he's doing in the shower."

"Alice!" Before Bella had a chance to give Alice shit for that, Edward emerged from the bedroom, his suitcase in one hand, his other still towel drying his hair.

"You're leaving?" There was no mistaking the venom in Alice's voice.

They followed Edward downstairs.

"A situation arose at the lab. I must leave at once. They have a helicopter picking me up from the high school's football field in ten minutes."

Bella couldn't help but notice the way Edward wouldn't even look at her. Something in his voice and demeanor said it was not the time to address what happened between them.

Alice wrapped her arms around her middle, suddenly scared. "That sounds serious."

Edward sighed. "It is serious. I have to go. I'm sorry, Ali."

Alice nodded, hugging her brother, whispering something to each other. She stepped back and walked into the kitchen, wiping away tears.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella." Edward stood for a moment, unsure of himself, much like that morning.

Bella said the same, watching him walk into the garage. She tapped her foot a few times, rubbed her lips with the tip of her fingers, debating what to do. She knew what she wanted to do, then the doorknob in her hand twisted. A hand grasped her elbow, pulling her out into the cold air of the garage.

She looked up at Edward, his breath a little harsh, a curl of his wet, brown hair falling over one dark green eye. Her fingers brushed his skin as she swept it away, her eyes focusing on his face. His eyes narrowed for only a moment, before determination set in.

"The fuck with suspense." He slanted his mouth over hers, stealing her breath and all her senses. The surprise and shock soon turned into eager exploration. Her fingers curled in his hair, while his hands cupped her cheeks, keeping her right where he wanted her. He tasted of something sweet and mint, she of peppermint and coffee. The softness of his lips was so different from the strength of his kiss.

"UST," she whispered, between the gentle bite of his teeth and sweeps of his tongue along hers.

"What?"

"Unrestrained sexual tension," she clarified.

Edward laughed out loud, resting his forehead on hers.

She smiled at him. "It wasn't suspense, but UST."

He looked down into her unique, beautiful eyes. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"We can go up to see you if you'd like." Alice was planning on making the suggestion to him later anyway.

"I'd love that."

"I'll confirm to Alice then." She smiled again and asked for his number. They quickly exchanged contact information, before she agreed to drive him to the high school. That way, she and Alice could take his car instead of him leaving it at the school parking lot. They informed Alice, leaving a couple minutes later.

One more kiss beside the bleachers, Bella watched as Edward climbed into the helicopter. She wondered for the hundredth time what could possibly warrant his immediate attention that the company would fly him into the city.

.

.

.

Edward held up his hand at the suit waiting for him in the helicopter, not ready to hear what pulled him away from his family and Bella. Whatever it was, it could wait until he could no longer see her watching him fly away.

He missed her already. A smile curved his lips, remembering how sweet she tasted.

"Dr. Cullen, sir, I have the reports."

Edward loosened the collar of his shirt, asked for the tablet, and put on headphones. He placed his thumb in the middle of the screen, waiting for confirmation. It wasn't until it asked for retinal scans that he realized how serious the situation.

He held up the tablet, allowing it to scan his eyes, and waited for it to grant him access. It wasn't long before he was logged in, and on the screen was a colleague from a sister laboratory in Arizona, a Dr. Weber. Sweat beaded across Dr. Weber's brow, his eyes glazed with tears.

"Two vials of Serium47 are unaccounted for as of two hours ago. I repeat, two vials of Serium47 are unaccounted for. Security is currently reviewing all video footage, searching for the security breach. There was blood found on the scene, and four lab technicians are currently missing. I will continue to report every thirty minutes during lock down, more often if the situation turns critical."

The video ended and Edward cursed, asking the pilot for an ETA to his lab. Pushing everything but the situation out of his mind, he pulled up his notes on Serium47 and researched the worst-case scenario if the extraterrestrial virus infected anyone in the Arizona facility.

A video file caught his attention, dated four years earlier. He watched the footage with growing horror until blood sprayed across the camera's lens, keeping him from seeing the rest of it. Yet, the audio remained—the screams, the grunts weren't enough to cover the sound of flesh torn apart and chewed.

The facility in Alaska had been a victim of a gas leak, the explosion killing all fifty-three people inside, per the company's records. They had lied. The protocol was the reason they all died; it had to be. If Serium47 infected anyone in the desert facility, it would be next.

Why did his boss want him now? Surely, it was too late for his latest research project to help. Patients infected with Serium47 turned within minutes. By the time he produced enough of the vaccine for Serium47, they'd all be dead.

Unless there was something else they lied about, and Edward had no doubt they had. He had to find out, and if the situation were worse than what Dr. Weber's video indicated, fuck protocol.

He'd save his family and Bella, before saving the world.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to Midnight Cougar for helping me clean this up and she'll be helping me with the updates. Get ready, this one is going to be out of my comfort zone. I have a love/hate with zombie movies and fics. One, I do NOT like gore, at all, but I love the story behind most zombie stuff.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Two**

* * *

Carlisle sighed as he struggled to loosen his tie; the elevator ride to his floor seemed to last forever. Schmoozing with some of the biggest assholes he'd known left him exhausted. He was one of the few doctors that didn't have a God complex. Sometimes, the egos on his colleagues made him cringe with secondhand embarrassment whenever they opened their mouths.

His understanding and beautiful wife awaited him up in their hotel suite, after having gone to shop alone in the city all day. Alice had already called to check in, as had Bella, his second daughter. She was such a delightful young woman who seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, and was a positive influence on his often over-the-top daughter.

Once the elevator reached his floor, he joined his wife for a cozy dinner she had ordered from room service.

"You're a godsend." He dropped his suit jacket on the chair and kissed his lovely wife on her cheek. "Did you hear from our son?"

Esme sighed, running a hand through her caramel waves. A gesture she only did when she was worried, which was usually because of their son. Edward picked up the habit from her, too. "He was home for one night and was called away. Alice is less than pleased he left so soon."

Carlisle agreed, starving, he dug into his food. The network meetings he had all day technically centered around a brunch, lunch, and dinner, but there was hardly time for eating while talking about the New Year's event the night before and the latest news on the medical research front.

Esme kept their conversation away from anything work-related, which Carlisle insisted on after such a long day. They were in New York City, on vacation, the first one in months. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about such things.

They had the next five days to themselves. No more huge egos and medical jargon to listen to for hours on end. Sounded like heaven to Carlisle.

"Bella and Edward hit it off." Esme looked worried, her lips slipping into a frown. "Though a part of me couldn't be happier at the idea of them together, I'm so afraid she won't be able to handle his work commitment and we'll lose her."

Carlisle patted her hand, understanding where she was coming from. They each loved their daughter's best friend, as if Bella were their own child. All it took was a few visits and a week in their home the previous month to know she fit right in with the family. The last two holidays were entertaining, to say the least, with the way Alice and Bella seemed more like siblings than friends, constantly bickering. "Bella is not the type of woman who would need his undivided attention. Not like Alice."

Esme laughed, her soft pink lips stretching to the first genuine smile Carlisle had seen all day. "Jasper has his hands full with her, but he loves lavishing her with attention. Still, for someone so young…" She looked at her husband, the worry she felt reflected in his eyes, too. "I don't want either of them to be hurt. Despite his lack of regret when a relationship had failed, I swear a little of him dies with every one of them. Edward is so driven and focused; maybe this thing between them will stop before anything starts."

Carlisle's phone rang in his jacket pocket, his eyebrows shooting up. "Speaking of our son..."

Esme watched as her husband walked over his jacket, something he had carelessly tossed on another chair upon joining her. Carlisle winked at his wife, making her smile again. The man knew how to wear a suit and tie, looking as sexy as he did the first time they met.

"Hello, Son." Carlisle looked at his wife, smirking in that way that promised a wonderful end to their evening. As he listened to their son, his features slowly started to fall, seeking his small notepad from his jacket pocket. "Slow down, Edward. I need more information…I know you said you can't talk, but what you're…"

Esme waved at her husband, gesturing for him to put it on speakerphone.

Carlisle refused, meaning something was wrong.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Carlisle closed his eyes as he dropped his notepad and pen, his free hand rubbing at his mouth hard. "What about your sister and Bella? Are you sure you can count on them?" He opened his eyes and settled his gaze on her. "You're right, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Your mother and I will do what we can once we reach Alaska. Keep me updated as we'd agreed should something like this happen. Be careful, Edward."

Esme paled, her hand clutching her chest. Alaska was the one place her son had created a family safe haven. Working in his field, he knew the possibilities of horrible outbreaks and pandemics, though rare, could wipe out a large percentage of the population. He had prepared for every contingency, all while under the noses of his superiors. He always said he'd inform them if something happened despite it breaking protocol.

If they're heading to Alaska, the world had the potential to change.

.

.

.

Jasper tapped his fingers on the steering wheel of his truck, stuck in traffic outside Seattle. His girlfriend Alice and her friend Bella were heading up to Edward's condo the following day. He decided to go into the city a day early to meet up with his cousin Rosalie and her new husband Emmett. Rosalie was the only true family he had left; the rest of them, other than his parents and Nana, could all go to hell for all he cared.

His father's family disowned him when he married Jasper's mother twenty-five years earlier. What little family Jasper had left, he greatly appreciated and never took for granted, so he understood why Alice was upset about her brother. She was stuck between angry with Edward for spending a mere few hours with her and happy for him about Bella.

Apparently, Bella and Edward hit off so well he'd continued to text Bella since flying off. According to Alice, they were little notes to let Bella know he was thinking of her. Something Alice swooned over before Jasper left to Seattle on the third of January.

For such a busy man, Edward was making Jasper look bad in the romance department.

Jasper's cell phone chimed in the cup holder, and since he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, he answered. "What's up?"

" _Jasper."_ Edward Cullen had never taken the time to call him, ever.

That alone alarmed him. "What's wrong?"

The frustrated sigh on the other side of the connection sent a shudder of fear through Jasper. _"I need you to be prepared for something should this escalate."_

"This?" The gravity of the situation as Edward explained made Jasper not only scared for the countless lives at stake but angry, too. They were fucked either way. He had no choice but to follow Edward's plan. "What about my family?"

Edward sighed once again. _"If they tell anyone, I could lose my position and the advantage of knowing what the hell is going on. I need to stay informed, be a step ahead, and you know I shouldn't even be telling you this, Jasper."_

"They wouldn't tell anyone!"

" _Are you sure about that?"_

Jasper held his breath, thinking of his sweet grandmother and his parents. He knew his mother wouldn't be able to leave the house without informing their neighbors or the ladies from her book club. His father, though in a way, cold and stern, wouldn't sit by as he fled to safety while his friends all stayed behind.

"No." Jasper's heart was now in his stomach, he might seal his family's fate in order to save Alice.

" _The origin is in Arizona, so they'd only have hours. If the worst happens, you can tell them."_

"And tell them what exactly? You're not giving me a lot to go on, Edward. You're asking me to basically arm myself for Armageddon, get loads of necessities, and two new vehicles under your account and won't tell me why."

Another voice came through the line, though muffled. _"I have to go. All I can say is, let's hope it's not like those video games you love so much."_

Edward hung up on him without another word.

Jasper sat, staring blankly at the road ahead, his exit closer. He thought back to the few times he met Edward, and the one time they bonded was over a video game he set up in Alice's media room.

A zombie game.

 _Fuck._

.

.

.

Edward listened to a colleague drone on about shit they had no business focusing on. They had better things to do. The corporation had yet to inform them of what was happening in Arizona in the last 72 hours. They were only fed bits and pieces of information as it came in; apparently, on a need to know basis.

Dr. Weber had yet to notify him, and the only other trustful source he had in that laboratory, had yet to check in since the incident happened on New Year's Day.

What Edward did know was that someone breeched the highly secured vault of deadly diseases, bacteria, and viruses when the facility was nearly empty due to the holiday. Only nine staff members had been in the building according to security reports. The videos and the 911 code Weber secretly sent Edward was enough for him to send his parents to Alaska as a precaution. If Dr. Weber sent another, he'd have everyone leaving to compound he built in the mountain wilderness.

He had no other family other than his parents and his sister. They were his priority; once they were safe, he'd be able to concentrate on saving the world.

 _If_ the facility in Arizona was breeched by those infected, if all the safety measures failed, he'd send word to Jasper to take the girls and head to Alaska. A similar situation had arisen before, but it had been contained by blowing up the laboratory, killing many people, and in turn, saving countless others. Yet, it had been a security issue then too, and from what little reported of the incident, they never knew who had attempted to steal the virus.

Someone was determined to get the virus to the public. If released, it wouldn't take long before the West Coast was infected if the lab in Arizona was unable to contain whatever happened down there.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, taking a moment to make sure no one was watching him. The long, dark wood conference table gleamed under the overhead lights; a few staff members appeared as bored as he did. Another was on the verge of falling asleep, and only two gave Dr. David Williams his undivided attention.

Discreetly, Edward pulled out his phone, expecting it to be either his father or Jasper, but smiled when he saw that it was Bella. She certainly knew how to leave him wanting more with every text.

This one was no different.

 _What do you think of the color blue on me?_

Edward did his best to keep his face neutral when the photo popped up on his screen. It was a simple one of Bella in a black and blue off-the-shoulder, oversized sweater. Her hair was messily up in a bun on the top of her head, tendrils framing her lovely face. Her unusual eyes were downcast, as if she were shy about sending him a photo, but there was no missing, the almost indigo color they'd taken.

Since he left her back on that football field, he couldn't help but send her texts at any given time of day. It was so easy to talk to her about anything other than work. Seven out of ten times, she lacked a filter, and he appreciated her refreshing no-nonsense honesty.

It wasn't long after touching down in Seattle that he texted her to find out how mad Alice really was; not that he blamed his sister for her anger. He deserved it for flaking out once again, but the team had insisted he needed to be at the lab while they increased production on the vaccine for Serium47.

There was a problem for the vaccine: it was only safe against the airborne virus. They had not gotten to testing it for the transfer of bodily fluids yet. At the time, there had been no reason, but the other facility had fallen to the virus, so why hadn't they insisted he continue testing? Something wasn't right about the corporation he worked for, which was why he had to take precautionary measures to make sure his family was safe.

 _Blue looks breathtaking on you._ Edward sent the text before he chickened out and sent her the basic, almost obligatory message that she looked beautiful. She was honest with him; he'd be the same with her. He looked at the picture she sent him once again.

"Edward." Someone called for his attention, bursting the little bubble he was in whenever he thought of his little sister's best friend. He should feel ashamed to be so taken by a much younger woman, but he didn't at all. It was about time he took life by the horns, but first he had to figure out if the world would need saving.

* * *

 **AN: I know I'm as shocked as you are. I decided to add this to the WIP rotation. Currently working on some contest entries, and hope to get into the flow of writing once again. Next we'll check with Jasper and the girls.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

"What do you mean she left town?" Edward did all he could to keep the fear and anger from seeping into his voice, but to no avail.

"Hey, you knew me long before you met Bella." Alice was by all definition a spoiled brat and it showed, considering she was jealous of his growing relationship with her best friend.

"I know that, Ali." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, clenching his eyes shut. "I thought I made it clear you and Bella needed to head into the city today. It's important you're both here." The silence on the other side of the line forced him to check to see if his sister had hung up on him. It wouldn't be the first time. "Alice?"

"What's going on, Edward?" Her voice was significantly softer and a bit contrite. "First, Mom called me and said they were extending their trip and would see me before I leave back for school. Then Jasper calls to tell me he'd be joining us in Seattle since _you_ invited him."

Edward had little time for explanations, and the one he had was something meant to be shared in person. She wouldn't believe him otherwise; she had to see the truth in his eyes. He loathed lying to her, but had little choice in the matter.

"It's a bit of a surprise, but since the cat is out of the bag. I set up a meeting with that personal shopper you've been wanting to work with for you and Bella."

Alice squealed; so, for the moment, it seemed he was forgiven. It would be temporary, once she learned the truth.

"Oh my God, how the hell did you manage to get Tanya Miller to agree to take on a new client?" Alice continued to babble, but Edward had another much more important thing to discuss, Bella Swan.

"Before you get ahead of yourself, can you please tell me where Bella went and why?"

Bella hadn't mentioned to him anything when they talked on the phone the night before, but another emergency forced him to cut short the call. He'd been running on fumes as it was; hearing her voice even for those brief minutes had instantly warmed and relaxed him.

"She went to Arizona to take care of her late parents' house; there was a problem with the tenant."

Arizona? The room started to spin and bile began to rise in his system. He grunted as he grabbed the closest trash can and lost what little he had in his stomach.

"Edward! Edward! Are you, all right?" The anxious tone in Alice's tone brought him back to an upright position.

"Give me her address now, Alice." The silence once again caused him to question if she was still on the line.

"Why?" One little word inflicted with so much fear and worry, and he was about to make it worse.

He double-checked the line was still secured and swallowed a large gulp of water after he rinsed out his mouth. "Do you know the games and movies Jasper loves so much?"

All it took was one question for Alice to realize the gravity of the situation. "Where is the outbreak?"

"From what I've been able to gather since the company has been quite hush-hush about the situation, it has not reached outside the facility." He didn't need to tell her he thought they were lying.

"But you're not one to take chances."

"Exactly." Edward rubbed his face hard, grateful Alice wasn't asking a million questions, as she tended to do in most situations.

"You didn't answer my question."

No, Edward purposely redirected the conversation. "The facility is in Arizona."

"Oh God."

.

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* * *

"Are you sure it's wise to fly out there?" Alice asked, as her brother frantically packed a bag. She had arrived a few minutes at his apartment earlier with some food.

"She's right, Edward." Jasper tucked Alice against his chest, feeling her relax a bit. "You can't take any weapons on the flight. If by the time you reach there and the worst has happened, you'll be left defenseless."

"That's why I'm flying into San Diego. I'll pick up what I need and the rental truck to drive into Phoenix."

"Should I call her?" Alice had wondered for the tenth time since she arrived at her brother's apartment. It was a shock to find it packed with boxes and boxes of supplies varying from canned foods to toiletries of every kind imaginable, even condoms.

"And tell her what?" Jasper stated, slightly shaking her. His bright blue eyes were duller than usual, but she expected nothing less. There was a chance he would sacrifice his family to save hers. "She wouldn't believe you, hell, I'm here and don't believe it."

"Where is my passport?" Edward turned a drawer in his desk upside down on the surface.

"Why would you need it?" He wouldn't leave them to figure this out on their own, would he?

"It's a precaution, Alice." He found it and quickly slipped into his inside jacket pocket. Dressed in dark gray joggers, black boots, and hoodie, he did not look like himself, at all. "One of the first things the government and CDC will do is shut down all flights in and out of the state. If driving to Alaska seems too risky, we'll drive into Mexico and fly out from there."

"Bella would need her passport," Alice said, running to her bag. "Which she left with me for safekeeping until she returned." She handed over Bella's documents, as she explained Bella's father always told her to be prepared for anything, and to take her most important papers with her when she left her home for more than a day or two.

Strange advice, but he was grateful for it. He slipped the passport and birth certificate into his carry-on and grabbed a few stacks of cash in case.

"That much cash may be suspicious." Jasper was quick to point out.

Edward nodded and took only one. He had a safe deposit box in a bank in San Diego and various cities down the West Coast, another measure he'd taken in case of a situation like this one.

"I'll do my best to keep you two up-to-date on the situation. It won't take long before the lab finds out I've gone off grid. They have the serum I just injected you with in production. Remember, you're safe from the airborne virus, but not bodily fluids. One bite from one of the infected, or if their blood is accidentally ingested, or enters the bloodstream through a cut…Not sure how long it'll be before another _emergency_ arises, but they gave me two days to rest."

Alice rolled her eyes. "You've heard that before."

Edward nodded, mentally going over a list in his mind. "I have everything; as soon as you drop me off at the airport, pack up, and head out to Alaska."

That got Jasper and Alice going, but in the end, Edward won. The moment he heard the outbreak reached above ground, Jasper could notify his family to leave and go to Alaska. His father had the means to do so, but he hoped he wouldn't tell everyone. It was important to keep the number of people at Edward's compound to a max of twelve people for it to maintain them for years.

Any more than that, they would risk having to leave the area for supplies and food. The only thing worse than a hungry zombie hoard, was a group of desperate humans.

.

.

.

* * *

Bella Swan wished she had taken Alice's advice to go to Seattle, instead of and handling the situation with the real estate agent a few days before they had to return to school. Worse, Edward hadn't answered her calls for the last couple of hours. She didn't have much time once she received the call from Heidi.

"Let me get this straight," Bella nearly hissed at the man standing before her. The tenant, Alec Stevenson was a greasy-haired, strung out a man of thirty, who smelled as though he'd spent the night in the trash bin. His pale blue eyes were dilated, but Bella couldn't find anything that the man was on. There was no evidence of drug paraphilia to be found or alcohol. Yet, the man dug up the entire backyard of the house because something called to him from beneath the ground.

"I'm supposed to give it to you." He held out a black box, sleek in design with no distinguishable seams or a way to open it. "The voice said that you would know what to do with it."

The moment Bella held it her hands, Alec's eyes rolled back and he started to fall to the floor. Instinct told her not to let go of the box, but she moved fast enough to avoid Alec from hurting himself.

She lightly slapped him a few times, waiting for him to say something when he opened his eyes.

"Ms. Swan? What are you doing here?" Alec's frantic eyes moved around the room. "Why am I on the floor?"

The fear in his eyes told Bella Alec had no idea what day it was, let alone what had happened over the last several days. She'd gotten the call from the real estate company that took care of everything for her two rental homes, both belonging to her late parents. The rep for the company indicated he'd come to pay Alec a visit after numerous complaints from the neighbors.

Alec had refused to come out or let anyone in the house after the rep saw the damages to the backyard. The man had dug up over sixty percent of it, in some places as much as ten feet deep. He told the rep he'd only talk to Bella, which was why the company called and she'd flown out on the next flight to Phoenix. Alec had never done anything like this and had been a model tenant for almost a decade.

The strange black box that when Alec had handed it to her was surprisingly cold, started to warm up in her palm. For some reason, she felt compelled not to let it go. She dropped it immediately on the kitchen counter to help Alec to his feet.

It took some convincing, but she finally got him to agree to head to the hospital after a quick shower. The memory loss was one thing, but the man also appeared dehydrated and smelled awful. He looked like he hadn't slept in a month.

Was it only a coincidence that Alec lost consciousness as he handed her the box?

It appeared to be solid since there were no seams of any kind, but it was too lightweight to be. She picked it up to examine more closely; at a five-inch square, it didn't make sense for it to weigh lighter than a dime.

Why did Alec dig it up?

Bella's head hurt as she tried to remember anything her father said about the backyard. Nothing came to mind and left her frustrated more than ever. She saw the time on the microwave, noticing how it flickered. The light above her was doing it, too.

"Where's the salt when you need it?" She said more to herself. She loved a good ghost story and hoped Alec wasn't dealing with the supernatural. She shivered and decided she could check in with Alice and Edward.

Guiltily, she realized Edward probably already knew she hadn't gone to Seattle with Alice, as was the plan. She should've broken the news to him, since now their first date would have to wait.

She picked up the box again, or had she even put it down? She shook her head, tossing it in the air and watching it hover for a second too long and then come back down again.

"Did that just happen?" Bella rolled her eyes, realizing once more, she was talking to herself. She put down the box on the counter and pushed it farther away. The green digital numbers on the microwave flickered harder. She shoved the sleeve of her sweater over her palm and grabbed the box, walking it over to the appliance.

It sparked.

She backed away after setting down the box, away from the microwave. Almost ten feet away, she startled, her heart nearly stopping for a moment when her cell phone rang. On the screen was a photo of a shy Edward; one he sent her reluctantly, after requesting one from her.

Not a nude; she had standards, and Edward was too much of a gentleman to do or ask such a thing.

"Hey, I was about to call you—"

" _Bella? Bella!"_ The call crackled and buzzed on Edward's end, something she hadn't heard in years. It was 2018, not 2012. _"I've been trying to reach you for hours…"_

The line garbled up the rest of whatever he was saying. "I didn't catch any of that, Edward."

" _I'm here, in Ari—"_ It sounded like she lost the connection, realizing she was right by the box again. When had she walked over? She stared at the seemingly strange object and took a few steps away; catching more of what Edward was trying to tell her. _"I don't know how long I can talk. I think they know I went rogue. Arm yourself, I'll be there…"_

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bella asked. Edward had said it himself to her, that he'd been working too hard.

" _I don't know their weaknesses yet, but I hope to find out more soon."_

The line went dead, just as all the dogs in the neighborhood started to bark loudly, soon after, they howled. The sound sent shivers down Bella's spine, her skin crawling. The box on the counter started to rattle, the tiniest sliver of light punched through the black casing.

She ignored the box, because what the hell could she do about an item that belonged in The Twilight Zone? Instead, she decided to call Edward back; his voice during the call told her something bad was happening or was about to happen.

Only Edward's number said it was disconnected. Her brow furrowed as she called Alice, the same thing happening. Jasper was the next person on her list to call, his number also disconnected. She randomly called an old friend's number from California, then the real estate company with the same result. She hung up, realizing, for some reason, she couldn't make any calls. What were the chances that all her friends had disconnected their phones in the last few minutes?

None.

Alec didn't have a landline either.

She went over the limited conversation with Edward, remembering how he said to "arm yourself" and that someone probably knew he'd gone "rogue." Had he said he was in Arizona? Why? What did it all mean?

The box started to pulsate, the light changing from gold to green, but something else caught her attention. The dogs were no longer howling, their sounds changing to whimpers.

Something was out there.

She looked around and realized she was out of her element. The house was no longer her home; she didn't have any of her things there. She didn't know what Alec had to arm herself with, if he even had anything. Phoenix was an hour away in decent traffic; assuming Edward had just landed, he'd be there soon.

She only had to hold up until he got there, but hell if she was going to sit around and do nothing until then. A scream from outside tore through the air, a sinking feeling filled Bella with dread. Whatever Edward was trying to warn her about, it was already there.

"Alec! Get down here now!" She ran to the front door, not bothering to open it or look outside. Bella locked it and wedged a chair under the knob for extra security. Next, she went to each window and made sure all of them were locked, seeing nothing out of the ordinary out any of them. The house was on an awkwardly angled corner lot, where she could barely see any of the neighbors' houses.

A light shot from the box, around the perimeter of the room, as if it were scanning the area. She stomped over the damn thing. "I have no idea what you are nor do I have time to deal with you. I kind of have to save myself from whatever is out there, so unless you're going to give me some valid information, kindly shut the fuck up."

She was talking to a box.

 _What the fuck was going on?_

The light emanating from the thing dimmed. She picked it up and instantly regretted it. _What a shitty day,_ was her last thought before her vision darkened and the floor was much closer to her face.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to Midnight Cougar for her help with the chapter. Any and all mistakes are mine since I tend to fiddle with things after. Real life has been in a constant state of chaos. There is always too much going on, but I'm trying to find more time to write. Crosshairs will be next in the rotation, possibly The Letter soon after that. As always thanks for sticking with me.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Four**

* * *

The second Edward landed in San Diego, he had several messages from his connections at the Arizona facility. Connections he tried to call back but failed to reach either of them. That alone seemed ominous. One thing he also noticed upon arriving in California, no one in his facility had attempted to reach him.

Was that a sign he worked for a company that had no morals or ethics?

If an outbreak did occur, it was becoming clearer they did not intend to stop it. The potential to make billions of dollars, possibly more, for a cure to a probable pandemic level virus would be too hard for them to resist.

The problem was there was no cure. He'd studied the virus for years, worked with others who have been studying it for even longer. Why would they allow it to be released if they had no guarantee they had a way to save their own lives? Unless it wasn't intentional. Yet, a part of Edward wondered if there some other motive behind the outbreak.

Dr. Arthur Weber's last message was dire and held little hope of containment. His long-time colleague and wife Dr. Giana Romano had left equally alarming warnings in the form of texts.

 _If bitten, the victim has approximately one minute before the virus completely takes over the nervous system and brain, and the urge to feed so the alien antigen in the virus can replicate becomes their only objective. Possible amputation of an infected limb, for example, if someone was bitten on the hand, would prevent the virus from spreading to the brain if done quickly._

 _If infected blood is ingested, the victim has between two to six hours, depending on the overall health of the victim, before the virus takes over. Infected blood entering the body through cuts also takes as much time as ingested._

 _Airborne mutation of the virus could prove the most lethal as it takes days for the virus to spread through the nervous system. Allowing the possibly infected to spread it around the world before they could be identified and quarantined._

 _Arthur and I have been infected by bodily fluids, and it is too late for any of us. The protocol to destroy the facility and everything inside will take place in approximately ninety minutes, ending the lives of our entire team. We've come to believe that someone changed the tests of four executives, allowing them to leave the facility two days ago._

 _It's started._

 _You know what you must do now, Edward. Save as many as you can. Use whatever means necessary to ensure the airborne virus is no longer a threat, and hopefully, it will buy humanity time to find a vaccine or cure. All of our collective data is at the location we discussed, including a sample of another promising vaccine, your latest vaccine trial #287, but further testing was halted before the outbreak. It must be tested to ensure the survival of our race._

 _I can feel it, numbing me from the pain, and memories are starting to fade away. Arthur is dead; his pancreatic cancer was a blessing. His organs shut down before the virus could spread to his brain. I refused to become one of them. Goodbye, Edward._

It had taken considerable control not to break down upon seeing those messages. He had to save his family and Bella.

Possibly the world.

No pressure.

.

.

.

* * *

Edward cursed the jammed-packed freeway of Interstate 10, shaking his fist and flipping off asshole drivers. His phone was dead and he'd forgotten his charger, as if the situation wasn't dangerous enough. Desperate to get hold of Bella, he had to use the last of his battery to call her again. He already reached his family, all of them heading straight to the compound in Alaska.

According to incoming reports using radio, Arizona borders were all closed soon after he crossed the state line for no apparent reason. The airport was closed, all outgoing and incoming planes grounded or redirected, according to a local radio station. All forms of communications were being prevented; by whom, no one seemed to know. No one had answers and local government officials had yet to make a statement. It wouldn't be long before those staticky voices over radio waves were silenced.

It was clear someone didn't want word to spread about what was happening. So far, there had been no reports of biters or what most gamers would call them, zombies. That wouldn't make him complacent. It was only a matter of hours before Phoenix would be overrun with the infected due to the airborne virus. He had to find Bella, and hopefully, they could find a way to vaccinate as many people as possible against the airborne mutation of the virus.

He listened to audio diaries both Dr. Weber and Dr. Romano had recorded and downloaded into several hard drives he had picked up outside of Phoenix. It was important to learn the names of the infected executives and where they were heading after they left the facility.

One of them lived in Mesa, Arizona, where Bella's childhood home was located. Edward stepped on the gas, ignoring blaring horns and angry drivers as he took the off-ramp at an alarming speed.

.

.

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* * *

Two abandoned cars were blocking the entrance to Bella's street, practically new, but each had broken windows. Music blared from the speakers inside, blood on the passenger seat of one of them. A groan from his right caught Edward's attention, his eyes widening at the sight of a bloodied man, his profile barely visible under the porch of a house. A dark, crimson-colored, dried up blood covered his chin and neck, and spots splattered his gray T-shirt. One arm appeared to be longer than the other was as he turned toward Edward; only then did Edward realize the man's arm hung limply due dislocation. It wasn't until the man's head snapped up at the sound of Edward's approaching vehicle that he could see his eyes. The pupils seemed to have nearly disappeared under a yellowish film, redness surrounding each eye.

Could he see?

Could it hear?

Those questions were answered as _it_ ran toward Edward as he drove over the sidewalk to bypass the cars blocking the road. It moved faster than he expected. As he drove away, the creature made a mad dash toward the two cars that had music on; it tore at the speakers of the nearest one. It didn't even give him a second look; the music had masked his escape.

Did that mean it couldn't see? How many more were there? Was it already too late to save Bella? He refused to accept that she could be gone. Alice said Bella was an intelligent woman and often tutored students older than her in Math, English, and Science.

"She's fine." Edward's grip on the steering wheel was knucklebone white. The GPS spat out that Bella's childhood home was at the end of the dead-end street. He kept his approach slow, hoping not to catch the attention of other biters in the area. The last thing he wanted was to bring them to Bella's door.

 _If she's still alive._

It didn't matter; as his sister's best friend and someone he'd come to care for, he had to know if she was alive, dead, or undead. He shuddered at the thought of shooting Bella if she'd been turned, but he would if it were necessary.

He checked the surrounding areas; other than the lone biter at the other end of the street, there was nothing else moving, nor any sound to indicate life in the small dead-end street. Where were the children? The yipping of dogs as a strange vehicle passed through their territory. It wasn't notoriously warm in Arizona yet; most schools were out for winter break.

Had biters already overrun the area?

A quick check indicated the biter had moved on from the mess of wires from the speaker he had to the other side of the car. A few tense moments confirmed one of Edward's theories: it couldn't open the door. It either lacked any brain capacity for it, or had little dexterity in his fingers, possibly a combination of both. In seconds, the biter started to pound on the car window.

Once Bella was safe and by his side, he'd take care of the biter. One less could potentially save hundreds of lives, perhaps more. Grabbing a gun from the duffel bag on the floor of his truck, he slipped a few extra clips of ammo into his back pockets. Carefully, he maneuvered the truck so that the passenger door opened right beside the front door. One last check that the silencer at the end of his weapon was secured, he was ready.

 _No, I'm not. The airborne virus is in the area. Unless she remained inside, the chances of her being uninfected were slim._

A flicker of movement caught his attention, coming from one of the front windows of the house. It was gone before he could be sure it was real. He exited the truck, careful not to slam the door shut as he stepped onto the porch.

The door opened a crack to a red-rimmed eyed Bella.

" _Not her."_ His heart already was breaking, not only for his sister but also for himself. The more logical part of his brain realized she had _opened_ the door. Something he'd already known biters couldn't do.

However, she could be infected.

"Edward." His name from her reddened lips sounded like a pain-filled gasp. "Is this really happening?"

"Yes. I'm here to take you where you can be safe." He stepped closer, but she shook her head, ready to close the door. "I administered a vaccine and I'm immune to the airborne virus. As long as someone hasn't come anywhere near the house in the last two days, you should be fine."

"I'm not alone." Her eyes rose up just as a raspy groan was uttered from a room above. Something shattered; another item hit the wall with a loud thud.

That caught the attention of the biter down the street, running toward us.

"Shit," Bella cursed and pulled him inside the house. "That thing that used to be Alec is secure in my old bedroom."

Once they had the front door barricaded with three heavy deadbolts and a chair, Edward turned to Bella. One T-shirt sleeve was ripped, her skin slightly shiny from sweat, her wrists were in duct tape, one had the indentation of a human bite, but it hadn't penetrated.

"You may still be infected." Her reddened eyes were obviously the result of crying; tears stained her lovely face. "How close did you get to him?"

"I had to help him off the floor a few hours ago."

Edward closed his eyes, and a choked sound broke free. "You're infected. You're not vaccinated from the airborne virus. You only have a few hours left." The feel of her hands on his face only made him feel a thousand times worse.

A sound startled them from the front of the house, the biter hitting the door, alerting the one above. It renewed its efforts when he heard the one outside. The acute hearing was definitely something he had to remember.

"Edward," Bella whispered, asking him to look at her.

When he finally did, he wished he could kiss her, but he couldn't risk infecting his family. "Bella, I'm sorry I was too late."

"I'm immune."

"That's not possible."

"Has Alice ever told you that I've never got sick? Like in my entire life."

Edward sighed, shaking his head. Unwilling to hold onto a glimmer of hope. "That doesn't mean you're immune to this virus."

"I watched one of those things take a bite of Mrs. Williams just a house over. Her husband shot it, one of those things in a lab coat, in the head before it could feed too much on her. She changed within a minute, killing him without a second thought."

"And that will be you in approximately three hours according to my colleague."

Bella shook her head and stood back. She ripped away the duct tape around one of her wrists. "Alec bit me about ten minutes after you called, which was…"

"Almost twenty minutes ago," Edward whispered, pulling her arm toward him. The bite wasn't bone-deep like what little he'd seen in the lab videos and was already starting to heal. "How is this possible?"

"What I need to tell you is going to change everything, but it can wait. I'm pretty sure Mr. Williams' garden shed, containing the rest of my infected neighbors, is about to burst at the seams."

"What?" Did she just say the _rest_ of her neighbors?

Bella shrugged, picking up a modified baseball bat. "What? I didn't have any guns, so I led them into the shed and escaped out the only window. Which I barricaded then ran around to lock them inside. Obviously, I missed one."

The only biter Edward had seen was outside still pounding on the door.

"I thought I told you to stay inside and arm yourself!" Edward wanted to shake her, hold her, and just… Feeling overwhelmed, he stepped back from her instead.

"I know you'll have to confirm I'm not infected." She didn't seem offended by his cautiousness.

"I need to be sure. I can administer a test once we hit the freeway." They also had to figure out a way to get past the borders. Crossing into the other states were blocked, but would the border into Mexico be too? Knowing the government, probably not.

Bella tipped her head toward the door. "First, we need to get rid of that thing outside so we can get into your truck."

"Yes, we do." A creak from the stairs made both Edward's and Bella's head snap up. Quicker than expected, Edward lifted the gun in his hand and shot Alec in the head, just off the center of its forehead.

There would be time for answers later. Right now, they had to get the fuck out of the neighborhood.

* * *

 **AN: With Incognito almost complete, this fic will be added permanently into my rotation along with an older WIP brought back into the rotation too. From now on, Edward and Bella will rarely be separated, so no more waiting for more E/B action.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Five**

* * *

The gunshot seemed to amp up the biter outside, as Edward and Bella watched Alec tumble down the stairs.

"A casualty of war." Bella's words were bitter, but also didn't make sense to Edward. Then again, none of all of this did. "We should go." She grabbed her bat, a backpack full of clothes, and pointed at a duffle bag near the front door. "Grab that; I'll see if I can get this one from the window."

Edward nodded; grunting when he realized the bag weighed a ton and covered in dirt. "What the hell is in this thing?"

"Weapons and a ton of ammo, and enough condoms to last a few years."

Edward cocked an eyebrow, but chose not to touch that last comment. "It sounds like you were prepared for this."

"Not me, my father." She crouched near the front door, looking out the side window. "If I shoot him out there, it could rile up the others in the shed."

"It seems to be a sound that attracts it, so that makes sense." Edward choked on a whisper when Bella pulled out a gun from the duffel bag, equipped with a silencer. "Apparently, he was _very_ prepared."

She shrugged. "I said I would explain once we get the hell out of here." Over her shoulder, she looked at him and offered a half-smile. "Be ready to run; the others won't be contained too much longer."

How did she know that?

The breaking of glass startled him into action; she'd already shot the biter.

Edward grabbed her, the bag, and opened the door. The biter lay dead again at the threshold, but she was right about something else. A thunderous groan and a series of grunts from several biters filled the air, soon followed by the sound of splitting wood.

"They shouldn't be reacting to that gunshot." He opened the door and stuffed Bella and their bags into the backseat of the truck.

Bella strapped herself in and grimaced. "They're not. They're reacting to the death of it. They can somehow sense it."

Edward didn't have time to be shocked anymore; instead, he filed away the information, and ran toward the driver side door just as dozens of biters spilled out from the backyard several houses away.

"Hurry!" Bella's hiss had Edward moving and immediately putting the truck into drive. He reversed and slid across her front yard, spun until they faced the horde. Women, men, children, people of all ages limped or ran toward the sound of the engine.

It was obvious the virus didn't discriminate; everyone was vulnerable, except for Bella.

Why?

Edward gunned down the road, not allowing himself to grieve for the tremendous loss of life as bones crunched under the tires, and brain matter and blood splashed across their windows. They didn't look back as they made it out of the neighborhood; the few biters that survived the brutal attack of the truck began chasing behind them.

"Head toward Phoenix."

Edward slapped his hand on the wheel, frustrated and running on adrenaline. "That's where the main source is! Why the hell would I do that?"

Bella looked at him, some of the color draining from her face. "There's something there that can help save some of the people."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He needed answers; Phoenix could be overrun by the time they arrived. "Why risk our lives?"

"My people created an antidote that _could_ prove useful for your kind."

"My people" and "your kind" stood out to Edward like red flags. "What the hell are you saying, Bella?"

"I'm not exactly human, Edward." She disclosed the address and pulled out a strange black box that seemed to be humming. "This box holds a lot of answers, but my father wasn't stupid enough to keep everything I would need in one place. Just in case someone else discovered the items."

The box seemed to vibrate; no, it pulsed. Almost as if it had a heartbeat of its own. It rose from the palm of Bella's hand just as a blue light emitted from the center and threw a beam toward Edward.

Quick and freaked out, Edward slapped the object out of Bella's hand, the momentum sending it crashing through the back window.

They both cursed when it stopped midair and headed straight for them again, hovering near Edward's face.

"It wants to scan you."

 _Yeah, not fucking happening._ "The fuck if I'm about to let some strange device scan me."

The light it emitted turned bright red, which usually meant something bad was about to happen.

"I have no idea what it'll do if you won't sit still."

"What the hell are you?" Edward wasn't sure who he was asking, the box or Bella.

"I'm not sure what my parents called themselves, but most would consider us aliens." She tried to smile as Edward looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "I'm immune; my father was prepared for this, and I can sense you're about to say something to piss me off. I suggest you don't; the box won't take too kindly to any aggression toward me."

"It let that biter hurt you!" He tried to remain reasonable, considering he was trying to drive with a thing hovering at his temple like a giant horsefly.

"That's because I freaked out and threw it in the microwave after I fainted when it showed what the hell is happening."

Edward took a few deep breaths. "Scan me then."

As if the box understood his command, it scanned him painlessly. After a couple of seconds, it sprouted out his name, credit and medical history, and even his education.

" _Possible ally to Bella Swan; next mission, find the antidote and release to eradicate airborne mutation."_

The box continued to divulge instructions, and it left Edward in a state of shock. Enough that Bella had to climb into his lap and made him slide over to drive. He did so without a word, and she wasn't sure if he was still listening.

"Shut up."

The box immediately complied with one final bleep. Edward remained silent, his face a wash of emotions as he worked to come to terms about what he just learned. At least Bella hoped he was working through it. She needed assistance if they planned to help slow down the first wave.

.

.

.

* * *

They had to pull over outside of Phoenix when they couldn't find a way inside from any of the main freeways. All roads were blocked by the military, and though there didn't seem to be anyone visibly, the box indicated there were several warm figures within the barricade. They were not allowing anyone to come out of Phoenix or enter the city.

"How long before the airborne virus reaches the Utah and Nevada borders?"

The box answered before Edward had a chance to reply. _"Two hours and forty-five seconds."_

"How the fuck does it know that?" Edward had enough. He had to draw a line. He needed answers.

"The second the virus was airborne, the box decided to control Alec enough for him to dig it up and lock himself in the house. It couldn't exactly call me and ask me to come home."

"It can scan for airborne viruses and look up my entire medical history, but it couldn't call you."

She looked at him and shrugged. "If some robotic voice called to tell me I wasn't from this planet and the world was about to change thanks to zombies, I would've hung up on it."

"It could've used Alec!" It had somehow convinced the poor man to dig up the entire backyard to find it and the weapons. If it had that capability, it could've made Alec place a call.

"That wouldn't have made a difference who or what _told_ me. I needed to see it in action. Its flight capability is limited, by the way."

Edward made a sound that was a hybrid between a growl and a groan. "I need answers, Bella. We're about to enter an area that is controlled by the military, that may shoot us on sight, and it won't be long before the small horde we left behind turn to thousands."

She sighed and looked at Edward. "What's bothering you the most? The fact that I'm an alien or the lack of answers?"

Edward had to turn and walk away for a bit, his eyes scanning the area. "I knew something was different about you the moment we met."

She grimaced and her shoulders shook, her hands lifting to wipe away tears. "I'm not entirely sure how I feel about being one, too."

"What you are doesn't concern me compared to the fact that the world is about to change like you said!" He threw his hands in the air and let out a frustrated growl.

"I'm sorry. I'm still making sense of everything. But it might not be a good idea for you to make so much noise. I'll do what I can to answer. The fact still remains that we need to get to that address to get the antidote. We can't do anything about biters infecting through their bites, but we can slow it down from spreading through the air. That's how half the neighbors were infected."

She shuddered violently then heaved, throwing up as she fell to her knees.

If Edward had run on adrenaline for the last twenty-four hours, without having too many run-ins with biters, Bella had to be worse off. He kept watching for biters, the lack of traffic sent alarms up while he held her back and offered what little he could as comfort.

The box buzzed around them and continually scanned Bella until Edward knocked it back again. "I have no idea if you're AI or not, but that's not helping."

The fucking thing huffed and made a raspberry sound as it stuck out its tongue.

"I'm a fucking alien and the first wave may be completely successful if we can't get to it."

"That's the second time you said that phrase. What do you mean the first wave?"

Bella whimpered and started to shake her head. She wouldn't meet his eyes as she stood. "A hundred years ago, in a galaxy far, far away this happened on another planet with similar qualities as Earth." She finally looked at him. "It's the first wave of an alien invasion."

"By your people," Edward accused, getting in her face. "Is that what you're telling me?"

"Not by my people! It happened too on my parents' homeworld. The few that managed to escape the infection fled. It's what this alien race does. It eradicates as many sentient beings on the planet without harming the environment."

"I think millions of damn biters would make it just as difficult to invade."

She shook her head. "No, think about it. You've had to notice that it didn't infect animals the same way. They were immune, right? Was there anything else that told you why it wasn't natural?"

Edward closed his eyes and nodded. "There were markers at the molecular level. It looked like a calling card."

"Sounds like the perfect way for a genetic weapon to pinpoint on those markers and destroy them." She snapped her fingers.

It was possible. There were viruses with the capability to infect only those with certain genetic factors, which had become a reality in the last decade, so why not a weaponized version of it? Then why not kill all humans?

Humans had a survival instinct unparalleled to other species on the planet, and there were too many differences in his kind. There would be pockets of uninfected humans around the world no matter how many versions of the genetic weapon they made.

"How long do we have?"

Bella bit her lip. "Before they get here? It depends on how fast the virus spreads. They won't come into the quadrant until the planet is taken over by the biters, at least a few years. They'd also implement the rest of their protocol."

"Which is?"

"I have no idea. That's the information waiting for us at the next location."

"All right. How the hell do we get past the military?"

"I'm open to any suggestions because I have no clue."

A groan nearby made their gaze snap toward the sound. They had spent too much time talking and now biters were coming out of the woodwork. The airborne version of the virus from the lab's doctor had followed them.

Edward looked toward the military vehicles blocking Interstate 60. "Are those in the barricade wearing masks?"

" _Affirmative,"_ the box stated. _"You will be completely surrounded in less than ten minutes. Hordes are forming from the west and east."_

They jumped into Edward's truck and headed toward the barricade as Bella ordered the box to connect her to whatever frequency the military was using.

"This is a civilian in the black truck heading toward you. Two smaller hordes are about to form into a giant one and are coming your way. Do not shoot us. We have information that could slow down the virus."

"Who is this?" an authoritative voice replied. "This channel is for military personnel only. We are under strict orders to shoot anyone attempting to enter or leave the city."

Bella hissed as she answered. "Are you incapable of listening? The virus is already outside of the city!"

"Listen, young lady, I have no idea what you're talking about. Get off this channel now."

The box vibrated a bright red. _"Do you wish for me to knock out those within the barricade?"_

Bella and Edward looked at the box and glared at the tiny thing. "Are you saying you had the ability all along and never said anything?" That was Bella yelling and trying to catch the damn thing as it shot out of her reach.

" _You didn't ask."_

* * *

 **AN: First, thanks to MC Cougar, she's been plowing through my updates like a champ. So...yeah, I went there. More will be explained as the story progresses. Bella is still trying to make sense of what she's learned. Please take into consideration that I have no clue how viruses work or anything about genetics and such. I tried to do the research but everything I found made absolutely no sense to me. Flying by the seat of my pants here. lol**


	6. Chapter 6

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Six**

* * *

"Will you be able to revive the soldiers immediately?" Edward asked out loud since Bella was still trying to capture the damn box.

It popped out from behind his head and shrank in size, irritating Bella more. _"Of course, I can."_

Edward grunted and rolled his eyes. "Do it. Once we're through, give us forty-five seconds before you revive them."

Bella sat back on her seat and huffed as the box glowed a menacing green and asked her to open the window.

Still upset about the box's sudden personality, she grumbled as she lowered the window. "You broke it last time."

" _I thought I'd ask this time."_

Bella flipped it off as the box whizzed out the window and became the point of the spear, leading the way. Not only did it cause several armed soldiers to drop their weapons, but it also somehow helped soften their fall to the ground.

Confusion had Edward tugging on his hair. "How is it doing that? They're all wearing masks?"

Bella shook her head. "I don't know, but I think it's learning."

He looked at her and agreed. "I'm guessing it didn't have that personality when you first encountered it."

Bella snorted. "Not even close, it sounded like a robot."

"Which means it learned from you?" He wanted to lighten the tension that sat on her shoulders.

She gave him a dark look and flipped him off.

The box buzzed through her window and indicated that an opportunity to drive through the barricade would occur in under minute. It started to count down as Edward's truck barreled toward several armored vehicles. Two of them rumbled to life, carefully maneuvering out of the way.

Edward looked around as the truck passed through the barricade; at least twenty soldiers covered head-to-toe in gear lay on the ground, their masks lying beside them.

Why?

Bella shuddered. "They have maybe ten minutes before the hordes head here."

" _Your estimation is quite off, Isabella. It's more like thirteen minutes and fourteen seconds."_

Bella cursed at it. "I didn't ask you."

Edward shook his head and sped up; he wanted them to be as far as possible when the soldiers woke up. Heads would roll for failing to keep anyone from passing through, but they had to reach the location Bella indicated. Even if he wasn't sure that whatever awaited them would work.

The mask thing bothered him.

" _Should I erase your presence from their memories?"_

Bella looked at the box and asked it to come closer. Something in her soft whisper made it comply. "Will it hurt them?"

" _No. Other than losing any memories about you and Dr. Cullen."_

Edward cleared his throat to get Bella's attention. She was heading toward shock, but they didn't have time for that now. He needed her to be present in mind and body to get through the next couple of days. "If the box does that, they'd lose the memory where we informed them of the incoming horde."

Bella sighed. "If you can take memories away, can you alter them?"

" _Yes."_ The box offered nothing else and started to glow a bright orange. _"They will think after they warned us to leave that we drove away."_ The vehicles moved back into place as they disappeared around the corner.

Edward pointed to the radio under his dash. The box hovered in front of it, while the radio crackled to life and switched channels. "Stay on their frequency so we can be sure they're going to be okay." He had a feeling it was futile. They'd only be able to hold back biters for so long. If this horde didn't break through, the next one could as their ammunition depleted.

Abandoned cars littered the sidewalks and clogged streets, making it slow to wade through. Some were still running, while others had wrecked into posts and buildings. A fire hydrant sprayed water like a geyser, lining the street with water.

"Where are the bodies? Shouldn't there be biters everywhere by now." Bella rubbed her arms, taking in the chaos outside. For several minutes, neither said a word, it appeared the virus had reached the outskirts of the city. Suddenly, Bella's hand clamped down on Edward's bicep, pointing at the roof of a building. People waved their hands around, one of them holding up a sign—HELP.

"Shit." Edward didn't bother pressing the brake and turned into the underground parking lot of the apartment building. "If I ask you to stay here, would you listen?"

The box glowed a bright blue. _"Of course, I would."_

Bella grabbed her duffel bag from the back seat. "What do you think?"

Edward rolled his eyes and exited the truck then went around to her side. He watched as she dressed in a long-sleeved shirt made of a matte gray material that changed color in the light. "What is that?"

"It's sort of like Kevlar my father left behind, but thinner and even more impervious to bullets and knives." She gestured to the box and handed him another one that happened to be his size. "It was among some of the things with the box, apparently. And it's bite proof according to the box."

Edward slipped it on and found it surprisingly light. "Remind me later to ask the box about it. We may need to make more of this material."

" _Noted."_ The box buzzed near Bella's ear and started to change shape. The sharp edges were rounding out.

Edward made a mental note to examine the box more closely later, too.

"We're only giving them the vaccine I have on hand, though it may be too late. We'll give them a few guns, and then we're gone. I can't stress this enough, Bella. We can't bring them with us."

Bella swallowed hard and nodded. "Let's go." She strapped another gun to her thigh and several magazines for both of her weapons to her chest. They each grabbed some more weapons and boxes of ammo.

Edward locked the truck and led the way. The box molded to Bella's shoulder and called out if there were obstacles ahead of them. On the ground floor, they found no one; the same for the stairway, but as they reached the third floor, the groans and grunts of several biters greeted them.

Bella barely managed to keep from screaming as the biters spun when they heard their approach. Several sprinted toward them, screeching a godawful sound that cooled their blood and ran icy fingers of dread down their spines. Some fell as they ran down the stairs.

"Can you knock them out?" Edward asked the box, shooting two in the head as Bella started to do the same.

The box whispered in a hushed tone, sensing the danger. _"No. They have to have the ability to think for me to do it."_

A large biter, standing an almost full head taller than Edward was, fell from the stairs above, and landed in front of them, bones cracking on impact. Bella screamed as its bloody hand reached for her feet; its skin had taken a grayish tone.

"Do you have any weapons capability?" Edward roared, pulling Bella back and shooting the biter in the head twice. It twitched several times before finally dying.

" _I'm afraid not. I must be upgraded, which is why we must head to the location."_

Two biters with wispy, white hair and frail bodies could barely move and were the last remaining in the stairway as they continued to the roof. They weakly attempted to come after them, but their mobility was limited.

"It appears it can only do so much in certain bodies. If the host is too old or hurt, it will not thrive." Edward asked Bella to turn away from the biters that were once a little old couple wearing matching shirts.

She did as he asked, covering her ears, too.

Edward knelt down to examine the biters while he had a chance. He took several mental notes: their eyes were a sickly blue with white hazy film that appeared to move; their irises appeared to have burst, too. His theory that they couldn't see seemed to be correct. Nor did they seem to have a sense of smell.

He stood and shot them without another thought and wondered how many more he'd have to destroy before the day was over. Bella's soft sob captured his attention and pulled him from his morbid thoughts. His arms went around her and let her cry for only a moment.

They didn't have time to mourn and soon it would be a constant state of mind.

.

.

.

"Are you infected?" a deep voice asked from behind the door that led to the roof of the building.

Edward made sure his voice was loud and clear. "No, but time is of the essence."

A few more voices protested, but the door opened slowly, a large African-American man looked at them with caution. "My name is Tyler and I can't let you up here if you've been bitten."

Edward introduced Bella and him. "There are two mutations of the virus, one is airborne. There were biters in the building, so you're all infected."

If the survivors were in good health, it would be merely a matter of a day or two before they changed.

The man nodded as if he had known all along. "How do you know?"

"I'm a doctor and she's immune." Edward glanced at Bella.

Tyler's curiosity got the best of him and he allowed the door to open fully.

Edward and Bella couldn't explain everything, and time was running out. Every second they spent in one place, the more chances the airborne mutation of the virus would spread out of state.

They had to stop it.

"We have food and weapons," Bella stated as she walked past Tyler, dropping a bag near the door. "Edward is a doctor and is taking me somewhere I can prove useful." It was a half-truth, but whatever helped to get them out of there quickly would help.

Others came around from behind air conditioner units and a tool shed. Each of them, seven in all, carried some kind of weapon. No guns, mostly gardening or hardware tools.

"You're immune?" someone asked.

They wanted answers, but Tyler shook his head. It was clear the others saw him as a leader.

Tyler rubbed his bald, dark head and looked down at a little girl with eyes the color of his own, a pale green. She couldn't have been more than eight years old. "How long do we have?"

"A couple of days at most." Edward handed Tyler and a few others small handguns and boxes of bullets. "I have a vaccine against the airborne mutation, but not for ingestion of their blood or their bites."

"Any chance the vaccine will prevent us from turning since we're already infected?" Tyler asked, picking up the little girl.

"We haven't had a chance to test it." Edward offered to give them all the vaccine anyway, asked their medical history as the survivors lined up. It took several minutes to give them all a shot.

Edward snapped off the pair of surgical gloves he kept in his pocket. "I'm sorry we can't do more. We'd bring you with us, but…"

"We'd slow you down and could eventually take a bite of you," one of the others said, shaking Bella's hand. "How does it feel to possibly be our salvation?"

"Surreal." Bella offered everyone a tentative smile. "I'm so sorry we can't do more." She started to tear up, and an older, Hispanic woman in her early fifties hugged her and offered whispered words meant to comfort.

"If I ask you to take my daughter…" Tyler started to say before his little girl began to scream that she couldn't leave him, nearly strangling him as her thin arms circled his neck.

Bella swallowed and started to walk toward the door leading inside the building. "Don't ask us, please. I can't shoo…"

Tyler understood and nodded.

She swiftly turned and ran toward the door.

"Bella!" Edward cursed and offered some more advice, and that the rest of the building was biter free; the box had informed them it was earlier. He left them one assault rifle and a few clips, then ran after Bella.

"Bella!" He jumped from stairway to stairway, avoiding the bodies of the biters, and hit the ground floor at the same time as Bella. Quickly, he pushed and caged her against the wall next to the parking garage exit, then pressed his body against her. "I know the situation fucking sucks, but you're going to have to _woman up_ , Bella."

Her dark eyes flashed a pretty violet color before turning to their abnormal hue. They went from frightened and angry to amused. "Did you just say 'woman up'?"

"You heard me. Do you think I find pleasure killing people?" Edward nearly spat, his anger of her running away still heated his blood. "But you bet your ass, I have no issues killing a biter. They are no longer human. Tyler's daughter, if the vaccine doesn't work, will turn and she will cease to exist in this world."

Bella nodded, angrily wiping away tears. "I know that, but we would've had a few days with her and then we'd have to kill her. I knew I couldn't do it. Then I'd feel guilty for it! I'm sorry for being fucking human in some ways!"

Edward cradled her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead, allowing the terror of watching her run to fall away. He understood why she was hurting, but there was more to it.

"You are not responsible for what's happening, Bella." He kissed each cheek, earning a soft sigh. "We're going to have to get through this, and when we have a moment, you can let go of all these feelings. Until then…"

"Woman up." Bella squared her shoulders and nodded. "We need to go; we don't have time." Her lips pressed against his for only a breathless moment.

" _You have approximately one hour and forty-eight seconds to neutralize the airborne mutation."_ The box, they really needed to give it a name, started to count down again, interrupting them.

"Shut up," Edward muttered.

He guided Bella into his truck, and they were back on the street in under a minute. Time was ticking away.

The box started to hum as it spun in place as they approached their destination, a neighborhood of newly constructed homes, in different stages of construction. When it started to glow in various colors, Bella had to ask, "What are you doing?"

" _Updating my software."_

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to Midnight Cougar for her help with the chapter, any mistakes are my own. I like to tinker. Okay, I need help finding a name for the box. Yes, it will play an important part in the story and will be around for a while. And no, it will not cock block...often. LOL**


	7. Chapter 7

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Seven**

* * *

Edward and Bella shared a look after the box's declaration, creeping toward their destination. They didn't know what to expect, and with every mile away from the barricade, they wondered what had happened. It was obvious the military were in charge and somehow managed to clear the streets. The survivors they found earlier were an indication of something, but they weren't sure what exactly.

Edward cursed the fact that he hadn't even tried to ask.

Would the military be one more obstacle they would have to endure? The worst-case scenario had now been confirmed: the virus was on the loose, and he had protocols in place. He'd always known if it happened, there would be no stopping the spread without a heavy military strike to the area.

He had to ensure his family was safe first. Something was nagging him, lost memories that made sweat bead across his brow. Whatever it was felt important. "I need to call my father."

Bella looked at him in confusion. "I thought you said he's waiting for us in Alaska." They had little chance to talk, but he had managed to explain that he sent his family to a facility in Alaska. And had she _not_ flown to Arizona, she'd be on the way there herself.

Edward tried hard not to be angry about that. "Yes, but there's a network in place for situations like this and he needs to inform them."

She scrunched her nose and nodded. "Do you mean preppers?" The term was said with some distaste and Edward didn't blame her. Some preppers were extreme and would likely kill people without question if survivors reached their strongholds.

"In a way, yes, but everyone in the network were carefully chosen." Edward pulled up to the curb of a house in its final stages of building. The outside was close to completion, with a roof, a rough coat of stucco, and windows. "They're not going to kill and steal to get what they need." It would be a last resort, and only if the virus wiped out more than what he projected.

"That's because they already have what they need for a few years."

"At least," Edward confirmed her statement. "There's a chance there will be biters inside the home or nearby. I can't tell if the airborne virus has already struck this specific area, but if it was in that apartment building, the chances are high."

" _The area was infected approximately forty-seven hours ago. Two armored tanks patrolled the area approximately forty-eight hours earlier. Personnel notified people to stay in their homes due to an epidemic and that help would soon arrive to escort them to a quarantined zone."_

Bella poked at the box; the object still glowed. It hadn't said or moved since it informed them of it updating its software. "Has military personnel visited the area since then?"

"Good question." Edward exited the truck and surveyed the area, and waved for Bella to join him. He rubbed his sleeve along his forehead to ease the headache headed toward a migraine. Something he couldn't afford. "Stay locked and loaded, safety off for now. Check the perimeter, Box."

" _I have a name."_ It almost sounded upset.

"Yeah, Gamma Data 247657 something or other," Bella scoffed, explaining to Edward after knocking her out to give her back some memories, the box informed her of what to call it. "That is way too long. Find yourself a suitable name and that's what we'll call you."

" _If I must."_

Edward realized it now sighed; it was learning at an exponential rate. "Is there any sign of biters or humans inside of or around the perimeter of the house?"

He thought it was best to keep them on task; Bella and the box bickered like siblings. Whatever waited for them inside could potentially hold all the answers they needed, and time was ticking away.

" _There are none in the dwelling, but seven hundred yards to the right, two humans on the verge of transformation are in that house. What you seek is in the backyard."_

"The military had prior knowledge, didn't they?" Bella's voice sounded angry, which Edward hadn't heard from her yet.

" _The military likes to believe they're informed and in charge, but they're as ignorant as you are, my dear."_ The box zoomed ahead of them, hovering near the front door. A red beam of light shot out of it and melted the door's lock right out.

"That would've been handy a while ago," Edward grumbled, and put on the gun's safety, asking Bella to do the same.

" _New feature due to the upgrade."_

"Are you done updating?" Bella swept through the living room like a practiced gun owner, boxes of light fixtures and plugs littered the ground. The floor was a dusty concrete slab, sheetrock the only thing on the walls.

" _No, it'll take a few days at least. Currently, downloading everything."_

"Everything?" Bella asked, holding out her palm for the box to settle in, which it did with a little sigh. "What do you mean everything?"

" _Everything that has ever been sent by various forms of communication."_

Edward laughed, though it didn't sound pleasant to Bella. Something was going on with him, but she couldn't figure out what.

"I highly doubt that is possible, Box." Edward rolled his eyes and walked toward the kitchen. According to Bella, Alec had to dig to find the box and the cache of weapons Bella's father left her. No doubt, it would be the same at the new location, but first, he needed a moment.

" _Maybe to your limited mind."_ The box now had a condescending tone.

Bella barely stifled a laugh as Edward chose to ignore the tiny pest, but he glared at her. He had been acting rather off putting since she ran away from him, but the situation and everything she learned was catching up with her. It's not every day someone finds out their entire life was a lie. That she was some kind of extra-terrestrial.

Did he expect her to go all Sarah Connor in a matter of hours? Hadn't she done that since Alec's attack? Since his arrival? She would have to get a grip eventually since it was essential for what was to come. Edward had thought of an outcome like this for years, and had on some level mentally prepared for it.

Not her. Not yet.

Edward checked the Sub-Zero refrigerator in the kitchen, grateful to find some cold water bottles in it. He tossed one to Bella. "I think I have the perfect name for you, Box."

" _This I need to hear."_ It buzzed toward Edward and stopped in front of his face.

Edward cocked an eyebrow. "How about Navi? You're just as annoying as that little fairy."

Bella started to giggle. "Did you just name it after a _Legend of Zelda_ character?"

Edward felt his face warm, avoiding her eyes. "Sounds like you know exactly who I'm talking about."

She shrugged. "I love most of the games. Did you play?"

He wasn't sure if she was joking, but he wasn't admitting that gaming was his only solace after a long day in the lab was too much. Too personal. He wasn't ready to share that with her, especially if he had to let her go.

She sensed a change in him; he knew that, but he wasn't ready to voice his concerns.

" _Crossing checking Navi and Legend of Zelda."_ After less than a second, the box started to glow a bright white, taking on a round appearance and a high-pitched voice. _"Hey, listen."_

Bella groaned. "He was kidding." She slapped Edward's arm and rolled her eyes. "I can't listen to that all the way to Alaska, Edward. Apologize."

" _Hey, listen. Can Earth's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?"_

"Oh my God, look what you started!" Bella grabbed the box, hissing when it tried to break free without hurting her. "Do _not_ emulate any video game character, okay? He's sorry."

Edward tugged on his hair; his head was killing him, a borderline migraine. Between Bella's and the box's voices, he was ready to lose his mind. It was all too much; he hadn't slept in days.

"I'm this close to destroying that thing, Bella!" He threw his hands in the air. "If it wasn't for the answers it seems to hold, I would've already."

"You're not touching the box if you mean to harm it." Bella stood firm, her hands braced on her hips, her eyes a brilliant violet and narrowed.

He gave a curt nod. "We don't have time for fun and games. We need to prioritize and figure out where we go from here. How long do we have before the military return to the area?"

The box for once offered nothing but what Edward needed. _"Two groups of eight are within five miles from here. Their search patterns indicate we have forty-five minutes before they reach the area. They are under orders to shoot anyone outside in the streets under the assumption that they're infected."_

Still wary, Bella wouldn't stop glaring. "We need to find whatever my father left here for me." She chugged half the bottle of water and headed toward the kitchen's side exit. "You call your father, check in with Jasper and Alice, and then we'll decide once we figure out how to neutralize the airborne virus."

"Wait." Edward grabbed her elbow, but offered no apology for his outburst. "Let the box check the perimeter again."

" _All clear, except for the infected humans—the rate of transformation is as expected, several minutes at most."_

Edward followed Bella outside, his cell phone was a lost cause, but his satellite phone was another matter. "Other than the sat phone and radio, all other lines of communication are not working."

"I figured something was wrong when I tried to call you back and couldn't even call the local diner."

Various blue and gray plastic tarps made for interesting obstacles in the backyard, and made Edward uneasy. Home building materials and various tools lay beneath most of them, but one of those tarps was covered in dirt. Edward helped Bela pull it off a deep hole in the ground.

"Whoever dug this up was at least a little more careful than Alec." Bella climbed into the hole with caution, deep enough to bury her, and headed toward another tarp.

"Be careful." Anxiety caused Edward's blood pressure to skyrocket. Vague images in his head started to clear, become familiar. Clues started to click into place.

"Always am." She had to tug and fall to her knees to get a grip on whatever lay beneath.

Edward knew Bella was immune to the virus, but did that mean she wasn't a carrier? What would happen if he were exposed to her blood? Until he could run some tests, they had to be careful of her getting hurt. There was also the fact that she'd never survive being eaten alive by a few biters.

"I'm fine." She waved her hand at him over her shoulder. "Start making those calls. I need to see what my parents left for me."

Edward watched as she used her hands to dig out a familiar box more as he pulled up his father's number. His head cleared further, memories stitching together with lost ones. The borderline migraine, disappearing. It was starting to make sense.

The line rang once before his father picked up. _"Son, please tell me you have Bella with you. Alice already checked in and they reached Canada."_

Edward exhaled sharply at the news and relayed the message to Bella. He knew she was worried about Alice and Jasper. "Yes, she's with me, but we're still in Arizona. The military is involved, which means it'll take us some time to get there."

" _Understood. Are we going to proceed with Protocol Eve?"_

"Yes. Inform the others. In a matter of days, the entire West Coast will likely be overrun with biters—Texas and Nevada will likely be next."

The little box zipped from Bella's side and hovered near Edward's ear. _"Two of the infected from the lab remained in Arizona, but two boarded planes to New York and Houston, Texas. Other teams are already there attempting to neutralize the airborne virus."_

Edward's gaze snapped toward the box and stared. Did it say _other teams_?

" _Who was that?"_ Carlisle's asked, his mother in the background asking to talk to Edward.

"I'll explain later. Just put out the signal to start on preparations. Did Jasper have an ETA?"

" _Yes, but I need to inform you that his cousin and her boyfriend have joined them."_

Edward started to curse. "You know we have to keep our numbers low, even Jasper knew that we had to. We already added Jasper and Bella. We will not survive without scavenging nearby areas for food and supplies if we exceed our projected numbers. The compound is in an extremely remote area; any trips to scavenge would take over a week. Traversing that terrain with large quantities of supplies is hard enough on good conditions, imagine under direst."

" _I understand the gravity of the situation. What would you have me do, son? Ask Jasper to run with Alice after Emmett and Rosalie saved them from a serious situation? What we're doing is difficult enough to handle, Edward. If we lose our humanity, then we've already lost any chance of survival."_

Edward closed his eyes; crackling silence filled the tension-filled moment. Even Bella cease to stop moving, watching him with growing concern. "Alpha, Five, Zero, Tango, Beta, Four."

" _Are you sure?"_

Fuck no, he wasn't, but there was little choice anymore. "I am."

They agreed to check in an hour, but Edward failed to tell his father why they had to remain in Phoenix for longer than anticipated. How did you explain to a man who had studied medicine and science for years that aliens existed?

"What did you just do?" Bella's voice was eerily soft. "What was the code for?"

Edward looked toward her and thought of not answering for a moment. "I just gave the okay to send a file to every news station and media outlet. One with irrefutable evidence of what is happening here thanks to the laboratory. In other words, I told the world that zombies are real and to prepare themselves."

She jumped from the hole, in a move that Edward realized was impossible. For a human.

"But they're going to panic, Edward? How are we supposed to neutralize the airborne virus if people are panicking?" She grabbed Edward by the shirt and screamed in his face. "How can we slow the spread of the virus, if you've sent people in a panic?"

 _Sarah Connor who?_ She had nothing on the woman in front of him.

"You are neutralizing the airborne virus." It wasn't a question; he knew. Edward watched helplessly when she stepped back in shock and confusion. "Your father wanted you to come to this area, knowing it was ground zero for the virus. Why? Why send _you_ to retrieve something in a city likely overrun by biters?"

Bella paused and took a deep breath. "How?"

"I can't be sure of how unless we run some tests. But I know I'm right."

The box glowed a soft purple and hummed. _"Between you and the biters that you came into contact with, neutralization of the airborne virus is slowly in effect."_

Bella rubbed her forehead. "I'm so confused. Are you saying that the biters I locked in the shed, the ones that survived the truck, and are out on the loose, are now neutralizing the airborne virus?"

"Yes. I don't know how I know that, but I do know that your father may have orchestrated my career for years." Edward pointed to the box in the hole. "That is the missing case of my vaccine that went missing along with two vials of Serium47, the alien virus found in a meteorite."

" _Well, a modified version of your vaccine. Once exposed in the air it will hunt down every living mammal in the vicinity, and then those vaccinated will spread it to others."_

Bella rubbed her eyes and shook her head, still confused. "That sounds like a cold, a virus? Oh how I wished I taken advanced Bio."

"It's a similar principle, yes." Edward jumped into the hole and pulled out the case. "I had a mentor back in college, but he only visited me off campus for some reason. Now I know why; he wanted to be discreet, plant ideas in my head without my professors or the company I worked for watching. He gave me a paperweight, that looks exactly like that, but blue." He pointed at the box. "Did you know you have your father's eyes?"

Bella's face blanched of all color. "You knew my father?"

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to Midnight Cougar, any mistakes are mine. I messed around after her edits. You've all been really good about this crazy ass story that for some reason I needed to tell. I appreciate all your reviews, thank you! I loved some of the zombie Twifics out there, but I wanted something different. If that makes it cheesy or a crackfic, that's my choice. So guest reviewer, it's okay if you have to stop reading because it's all so cheesy. No hard feelings. In fact, I've written a lot more this week because of it.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Destiny Unknown**

 **Chapter Eight**

* * *

"I remember it was one of the few traits I shared with him other than hair color. He said I looked more like my mom."

Edward swallowed, unsure of what to do with the conflicting thoughts in his head. Memories continued to stitch together to make sense of the mess of whatever Charles Swan did.

Edward looked toward the black box floating between them. "The device I left back at my lab, is it like you?"

" _It is a drone, and it receives directives through me."_ It shot toward the other end of the yard. _"We must leave soon. The infected humans are already foaming at the mouth for you two."_

"I'm still trying to wrap around the fact that I'm somehow neutralizing the virus." Bella ran her hand through her hair and put it all up in a ponytail.

"You're neutralizing the _airborne_ mutation of it, as are the biters you've been near."

" _In fact, every time you left the house, every person you came into contact with since before your father died has been helping and preparing for this day. And all those people are spreading it to others. Coming here would guarantee that it would spread even further."_

The information surprised Bella, so she only nodded, too quiet for once. "Now what?"

"I'm also trying to make sense of everything now that the cobwebs are starting to clear." Edward glared at the box as it settled on Bella's shoulder. "You should've told us sooner."

" _And risk you_ _ **not**_ _coming to Phoenix. It was essential for you to come here, not only to help with neutralizing the airborne version of the virus, but to retrieve the contents of the box."_

Edward shook his head, jumping into the hole and grabbing the box. "You still should've told us. I'm not only trying to ensure my family's survival but that of mankind. If you had told us, we would've come regardless."

" _Humans can be quite indecisive when faced with potential threats. I couldn't take the risk. Now that we have what we've come for, I must insist we continue. Some soldiers are closing in sooner than anticipated."_

Bella grumbled as she squared her shoulders and armed her gun. "We better go then. Once we're in the safety of the truck, you'll explain why the contents are so important."

" _Yes, ma'am_." The box led them to the truck, but insisted they waited for a few minutes.

"Why?" Bella had to ask.

"It wants to spread the neutralization through you." Edward held up a finger to his lips as he heard the approach of a team of soldiers sent out to eliminate any threats to uninfected humans in the area. He pointed to their right and pulled her behind the protection of his truck.

" _I'll put them to sleep but you'll need to get closer, Bella and Edward."_

"Me?" Edward rolled his eyes at his absent mind. "Of course, since I've been in her presence, I'd also be neutralizing the airborne virus."

" _You've been doing it since you injected yourself with the vaccine, as have Jasper and Alice."_

Edward didn't have time to process the information.

"Halt!" someone commanded, ending their conversation. "Under the protection act of…"

The box flew toward the soldiers, and they instantly fell to the ground. _"We need to remove the masks. I didn't have time to get them to do it themselves."_

Edward edged closer, wanting to be sure he wasn't going to get shot in the chest or head first. There were six men, two women among the group. "We're going to have to discuss your capabilities later, Box."

Edward gestured for Bella to come closer, and together, they worked each mask off. "How long do we have to wait?"

"No more than thirty seconds or so." Edward looked to the box for confirmation.

" _He is right. It doesn't take long, but another team will be moving in soon."_

"What if they kill them because they think they've been exposed?" Bella started to put on the mask of one of the men.

Edward realized she was right and helped her once adequate time had passed. "How much longer until they get here?"

" _One minute."_

Edward reached for Bella once they were finished, and ran toward his truck, not wasting time turning it on. The sound of it was loud in the quiet street. Two biters burst through the front window of the neighboring house due to the noise. They were shot from behind, several soldiers closing in on them. He gunned the engine, dropping all pretenses of leaving quietly.

Shots fired as he shouted for Bella to keep her head down, the window shattering behind them. The box flew out the back window and sent the soldiers falling, but one of them managed to call for backup. He warned them that they had to head toward a large piece of property where a plane would be awaiting them.

Edward didn't ask questions, even though he had plenty of them. He had some answers, but not all of them. It would have to wait until they were a safe distance from armed men and women.

.

.

.

* * *

"Why here?" Bella stepped out of the truck onto a dirty patch of pavement. The building was a large but unassuming structure. She hadn't said a word the entire twenty-minute drive to the grand, private home of some reclusive author.

"Because it has an airstrip," a voice said from the door of the warehouse-type building. "This is my place and your father wanted to be sure you got to safety after you've completed your mission in Phoenix."

Edward held up his gun, pointing at the tall, dark-haired stranger. The man had to be close to six-four in height, hair unkempt, and nearly reaching the top of his shoulders. "Who are you?"

"My name is Garrett, behind you is my wife Kate. She has two weapons pointed at you both."

Bella, also armed, turned to confirm Garrett's words. "Again, who are you?"

A brilliant smile that barely reached the stranger's blue eyes alarmed them. "My _human_ name is Garrett."

Bella swayed as the information hit her, Edward caught her before she hit the dirt.

"She'll be all right in a few minutes. Our kind's bodies take time to process everything it's learning and can shut down if necessary, to protect our psyche." Kate held out her free hand, still holding a strange-looking weapon in the other.

"Bring her inside and we'll brief you on the next leg of your mission."

Edward had little choice in the matter, and lifted Bella into his arms. If it meant they'd get answers, he'd comply. But he would remain wary of the strangers who claimed to be from another planet to protect them if need be.

.

.

.

Bella's head pounded as voices around her started to become more distinguishable. A pleasant little zing centered under the touch of Edward's fingers. She assumed it was him, considering he was the only one who did that to her.

"She's waking up." A warm, soothing timbre of a voice stirred her more.

Edward. Her mind instantly brought her back to their first meeting, how she hung over his broad shoulder as he mistook her for his sister. A part of her knew then, he was meant for her.

"You're my mate." She snuggled closer to the source of comfort and sense of belonging until it seemed to freeze beneath her. Too exhausted to argue, she fell into the warmth of the darkness.

"What?" Edward looked up from Bella's face as she fell back to sleep in need of answers from Garrett and Kate.

"Our kind has mates and you seem to be hers." Garrett rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing with color. "Which, of course, Charlie, her father, obviously knew and helped ensure your safety."

"Which is why I was determined to have a plan in case something like this happened." Edward shook his head. It wasn't long ago, about five years, where it almost became an obsession to ensure his family's survival. It had gotten worse after he started to work on finding a vaccine for the virus since it had become clear a cure was not yet possible. "I don't know if I like the idea that some kind of biological mating imperative determines who we're meant to be with."

The box chose that moment to speak up; it had been equally quiet on the drive as Bella, processing billions of terabytes of information. _"Chemically, you are compatible, but it doesn't automatically mean you'll love each other; that takes time. The nature of your relationship is marked in my database as a destiny unknown. It's up to the two of you on what you make of it."_

Edward wasn't sure if their destiny was unknown anymore, because he was positive of one thing: Bella already meant more to him than he thought possible, and his future wouldn't be complete without her.

"Once she awakens and we eat, we're going to have a long talk about your people and what the hell exactly is meant to happen now."

Garrett shook his head. "We don't have a lot of time; you have the military not too far behind. They'll find the place soon enough and we'll have to provide you cover."

Edward cursed, rising to his feet and placing Bella on the couch of the couple's living area. "Then wake her up now, Box."

The cube-shaped object huffed and glowed a brilliant red for two seconds. "My name is Watt."

"That's so cute," Bella murmured as she tried to sit up, looking up at Edward. "Hey, you." She grasped his hand and smiled. "Sorry, I decided to shut down like that."

Her smile disarmed him and his chest threatened to open up from the pounding of his heart. The "oh shit" in his head now matched with the beat. Even though he was human, he realized that Garrett and Kate were right. Bella was meant to be a part of him. He only had to get her thousands of miles away to safety to be with her.

No pressure.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for MC for her help with the chapter. I tinkered with the chapter, so any mistakes are mine. So now we know there's something a little more to Bella and Edward's connection. Garrett and Kate will be able to provide some answers and like Edward, Bella's memories were triggered when she met Garrett. So she'll remember more about her kind. Thanks for sticking with this crazy story.**


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